carbohydrates

IPA/ˌkɑː.bəʊˈhaɪ.dreɪt/
KK[kˌɑrbohˈaɪdrets]IPA/ˌkɑːr.boʊˈhaɪ.dreɪt/

carbohydrates — noun

  • carbohydratessingular
  • carbohydratesesplural

1. natural compounds in foods such as grains, fruits, and vegetables that the body

1.nounB1
Definition

natural compounds in foods such as grains, fruits, and vegetables that the body breaks down to produce energy for daily activities and bodily functions

Example

Bread, rice, and oats are full of carbohydrates that fuel the body through the day.

collocation: full of carbohydrates / rich in carbohydrates

Felix eats a banana before his morning run for the quick carbohydrates it provides.

noun used as countable plural with modifier: quick carbohydrates

Common collocations
  • complex carbohydrates
  • simple carbohydrates
  • refined carbohydrates
  • carbohydrate-rich foods
  • healthy carbohydrates
  • carbohydrate intake
  • carbohydrate source
Synonyms
  • carbs

    informal shortening; very common in everyday speech and fitness contexts

  • starches

    refers specifically to complex carbohydrates found in grains and tubers, not simple sugars

  • sugars

    refers only to simple carbohydrates; narrower in scope than carbohydrates

Antonyms
  • proteins

    a different macronutrient class focused on building and repairing tissue

  • fats

    a different macronutrient class used for long-term energy storage

Grammar Patterns

plural form

uncountable: Carbohydrates is/are…

countable: a carbohydrate

Usage Note

Frequently used in the plural form 'carbohydrates' when referring to the general category of nutrients. The singular 'a carbohydrate' refers to one specific type, such as 'glucose is a simple carbohydrate.'

Common Mistakes

I need to eat more carbohydrate.
I need to eat more carbohydrates.
When referring to the general category of nutrients, the plural form is standard.
Carbohydrates are bad for your health.
Carbohydrates provide essential energy, but eating too many refined ones can be unhealthy.
Carbohydrates are a necessary nutrient; blanket statements about them being 'bad' are misleading.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms relate to energy-providing nutrients, but they differ in scope and register. 'Carbs' is an informal shortening of 'carbohydrates' used in everyday conversation, diet talk, and fitness contexts ('I'm cutting back on carbs'). 'Starch' refers specifically to complex carbohydrates found in potatoes, rice, corn, and grains — it excludes simple sugars. 'Sugar' covers sweet-tasting simple carbohydrates like sucrose and fructose, often used in cooking or found in fruit. 'Glucose' is a scientific term for the simplest sugar molecule that cells use directly for energy; it appears in medical or biology contexts. For everyday nutrition needs, 'carbohydrates' or the informal 'carbs' are the best choices. In scientific writing, 'starch', 'sugar', and 'glucose' each pick out a narrower chemical category.

carbs ↗starch ↗sugar ↗glucose ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • rich in carbohydrates
  • low in carbohydrates
  • source of carbohydrates
  • load up on carbohydrates
  • cut back on carbohydrates

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'carbohydrate' was coined in the mid-19th century from 'carbon' and 'hydrate' (water), because early chemists observed that these compounds had a chemical formula that appeared to be carbon with water — C·H₂O. The term entered English scientific writing from French 'carbohydrate'. Today, we know carbohydrates are not actually hydrates of carbon, but the name stuck.

First known use

1851

1851, in the meaning defined above